• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Acute symptomatic seizures are caused by structural changes, inflammation or metabolic changes of brain, such as tumor, stroke, meningitis, encephalitis and metabolic disorders. Inherited metabolic disorders that can cause seizures are organic acidopathies, lysosomal storage disorders, peroxisomal disorders and mineral disorders. We have done this study to find out the importance of organic acidopathies causing seizure disorders in Korean childhood and adolescent patients. Method: Retrograde analysis for 1,306 patients with seizure disorders whose clinical informations are available and have done urine organic acid analysis for 5 years period, between Jan. 1st 2007 to Dec. 31th 2011. Statistical analysis was done with Student's t test using SPSS. Result: Out of 1,306 patients, 665 patients (51%) showed abnormalities on urine organic acid analysis. The most frequent disease was mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders (394, 30.1%), followed by mandelic aciduria (127, 9.7%), ketolytic defects (81, 6.2%), 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria (19, 1.4%), glutaric aciduria type II (10, 0.8%), ethylmalonic aciduria (4), propionic aciduria (4), methylmalonic aciduria (3), glutaric aciduria type I (3), pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency (3), pyruvate carboxylase deficiency (3), isovaleric aciduria (2), HMG-CoA lyase deficiency (2), 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria (2), fatty acid oxidation disorders (2), fumaric aciduria (1), citrullinemia (1), CPS deficiency (1), MCAD deficiency (1). Conclusion: On neonatal period, mandelic aciduria due to infection was found relatively frequently. Mitochondrial disorders are most frequent etiologic disease on all age group, followed by ketolytic defects and various organic acidopathies. The number and diversities of organic acidopathies emphasize meticulous evaluation of basic routine laboratory examinations and organic acid analysis with initial sample on every seizure patient.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2011

Acute ischemic stroke results from sudden decrease or loss of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a coinciding loss of neurological function. The antioxidant action of melatonin is an important mechanism among its known effects to protective activity during ischemic/reperfusion injury. The focus of this research, therapeutic efficacy of melatonin on recovery of neurological function following long term treatment in ischemic brain injured rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40; 8 weeks old) were divided into the control group, and MCAo groups (Vehicle, MT7 : MCAo+ melatonin injection at 7:00, MT19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 19:00, and MT7,19 : MCAo+melatonin injection at 7:00 and 19:00). Rat body weight and neurological function were measured every week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the rats were anesthetized with a mixture of zoletil (40 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed for further analysis. Tissues were then collected for RNA isolation from brain tissue. Also, brain tissues were analyzed by histological procedures. We elucidated that melatonin was not toxic in vital organs. MT7,19 was the most rapidly got back to mild symptom on test of neurological parameter. Also, exogenous melatonin induces both the down-regulation of detrimental genes, such as NOSs and the up-regulation of beneficial gene, including BDNF during long term administration after focal cerebral ischemia. Melatonin treatment reduced the loss of primary motor cortex. Therefore, we suggest that melatonin could be act as prophylactic as well as therapeutic agent for neurorehabilitative intervention.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.17 no.1 s.81
• /
• pp.150-161
• /
• 2007

Acori graminei Rhizomn (AGR) is a perennial herb which has been used clinically as a traditional oriental medicine against stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia. We investigated the effect of AGR on the modulation of gene expression profile in a hypoxic model of cultured rat cortical cells. Rat cerebrocortical cells were grown in Neurobasal medium. On DIV12, cells were treated with AGR $(10ug/m\ell)$, given a hypoxic shock (2% $O_2$, 3 hr) on DIV14, and total RNAs were prepared one day after shock. Microarray analyses indicated that the expression levels of most genes were altered within the global M values +0.5 and -0.5, i.e., 40% increase or decrease. There were 750 genes which were upregulated by < global M +0,2, while 700 genes were downregulated by > global M -0.2. The overall profile of gene expression suggests that AGR suppresses apoptosis (upregulation of anti-apopotic genes such as TEGT, TIEG, Dad, p53, and downregulation of pro-apopotic genes such as DAPK, caspase 2, pdcd8), ROS (upregulation of RARa, AhR), and that AGR has neurotrophic effects (upregulation of Aktl, Akt2). These results provide a platform for investigation of the molecular mechanism of the effect of AGR in neuroprotection.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.9 no.10
• /
• pp.187-194
• /
• 2019

This study is a descriptive study for analyzing cigarette warning picture and message effect according to smoking status (smoking, non-smoking, ex-smoking). A total of 219 subjects participated in the study. Data collection was conducted from June 4, 2017 to June 14, 2017. The survey was conducted by using the 10 cigarette warning pictures(heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, oral cancer) and cigarette warning messages selected by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2016. The results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference in smoking cessation intention between smoking, non-smoker and ex-smoker groups after exposure of smoking warning picture and cigarette warning message(F=36.08, p<.001). Therefore, it is suggested that the contents of cigarette warning picture and warning messages including T.V Anti-Smoking Public Service Announcement need to be replaced regularly in order to improve the smoking cessation of smokers according to National Health Promotion Act.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.229-237
• /
• 2018

BACKGROUND: Statins are thought to have little effect on the progression of aortic stenosis, but the data on their role in patients with aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) are limited and inconsistent. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 541 consecutive patients (214 men, age: $70{\pm}11$ years) with AVS. Each patient underwent two or more electrocardiography examinations at least 6 months apart at Kangwon National University Hospital from August 2010 to August 2015. AVS is defined as irregular thickening of the leaflets, focal increases in echogenicity and minimal elevation of the peak aortic valve velocity (> 1.5 and < 2 m/s). The progression rate of AVS was expressed as the increase in peak velocity per year (m/s/yr). RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was $24.9{\pm}13.3$ months in the statin-treated group and $24.1{\pm}12.4$ months in the non-statin-treated group (p = 0.460). There were no differences between the statin-treated and non-statin-treated groups in mean age, gender or smoking status. Relative to the non-statin-treated group, a higher number of patients in the statin-treated group had hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The progression rate of AVS did not differ between the statin-treated and non-statin-treated groups ($0.012{\pm}0.340m/s/yr$ vs. $0.014{\pm}0.245m/s/yr$, p = 0.956). Multivariate analysis showed initial peak aortic jet velocity was significantly associated with AVS progression (${\beta}=0.153$, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that statins had no effect on the progression of AVS. However, well-designed studies are needed to define the prognosis and management of AVS.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.90-101
• /
• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate intervention studies on Sasang Constitutional diet (SCD) through the checks of Participant, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) Methods Randomized controlled trial (RCT) and non-randomized study for intervention (NRSI) about SCD were searched in 4 Korean core databases and other sources, and then PICO was checked. Results 1. Total 10 studies were conducted with 1 RCT and 9 NRSIs. 2. Participants were people with no specific disease, or patients with essential hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, or stroke with diabetes or hyperlipidemia. Most studies were conducted on groups of various Sasang Constitutional types except Taeyangin. 3. Two studies provided participants with meals and exercise. Three studies, instead of providing meals directly, taught participants how to eat SCD on their own. 4. NRSIs have tested the effectiveness of various outcome measures without the presentation of primary outcome, and then concluded that all outcomes were ineffective or some are effective. 5. There was no mention of adverse events. In most studies, a single doctor of Korean medicine diagnosed Sasang Constitution the QSCC II questionnaire. The intervention period ranged from three weeks to three months, and recent studies have conducted interventions for 12 weeks. Conclusions Intervention studies about SCD which were conducted so far have shown problems on the study design of PICO items. The study design and implementation that carefully consider how to maintain similarity between groups, minimize the risk of bias, set primary outcome measure, and control the diet are required.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.96-103
• /
• 2021

Background: The number of elderly people with comorbidities who experience dysphagia associated with geriatric disorders, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's dementia, is increasing. Consequently, the demand for long-term prescriptions of powdered medications is expected to rise. Most patients procure repackaged prescription medications from pharmacies; however, the guidelines regarding their expiration dates are unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess awareness among adults regarding the expiration dates and drug stability issues associated with repackaged prescription medications, including powdered medications. Methods: A questionnaire with 16 components was designed and distributed online (August 1-September 1, 2019) to adults aged 19 years or older. Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis and chi-square test, were conducted on the obtained data. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Data from 254 respondents were analyzed; 191 (75.20%) respondents worked in non-healthcare-related fields. A significant number of healthcare workers recognized the stability issues associated with powdered medications (p<0.001). However, a large proportion of healthcare workers were not aware of the expiration dates (p>0.05). Conclusions: More than half of the total respondents, including healthcare workers, were not familiar with the appropriate expiration dates of repackaged prescription medications. The establishment of evidence-based guidelines regarding drug expiration dates and the dissemination of awareness among patients are required. Furthermore, clinical practices including repackaging or pulverizing medications for long-term prescriptions should be avoided owing to the associated drug stability issues.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2023.04a
• /
• pp.55-55
• /
• 2023

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing interest in anti-obesity strategies. According to the National Statistical Office, the obesity rate in Korea was 38.3% in 2020 and 37.1% in 2021. Obesity is a risk factor for several severe diseases, including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda is a hybrid of Pinus rigida Mill and Pinus taeda Linn, and its cones are considered a by-product. Although previous studies have investigated their pharmacological effects on antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative DNA damage, few researchers have explored their potential as functional natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the cone of ethyl acetate fraction of P. rigida × P. taeda (ERT), specifically its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation. Our analysis showed that ERT contains phytochemicals (catechin and caffeic acid) which are known to improve immune function and inhibit cell damage. ERT inhibited lipid droplet accumulation at the cellular levels through Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ERT suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and CEBP/α) as well as downstream lipogenic target genes (FAS and SREBP-1) thereby inhibiting adipogenesis. ERT also down-regulated key adipogenic markers, including aP2α, while inducing the phosphorylation of AMPK. It has been reported that PPARγ and CEBP/α are expressed in the early stages of adipose differentiation, while SREBP-1 is expressed in the late stage. Therefore, our findings suggest that ERT activates AMPK signaling pathways, which inhibits adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1) and lipogenic genes (FAS and aP2α), thereby blocking lipid accumulation and preventing obesity and related disorders. ERT showed potential as a new resource for developing a functional material for anti-obesity agents.

• Korean Circulation Journal
• /
• v.53 no.8
• /
• pp.499-518
• /
• 2023

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and hypertension, are the global leading causes of death, accounting for more than 30% of deaths worldwide. Although the risk factors of CVDs have been well understood and various treatment and preventive measures have been established, the mortality rate and the financial burden of CVDs are expected to grow exponentially over time due to the changes in lifestyles and increasing life expectancies of the present generation. Recent advancements in metagenomics and metabolomics analysis have identified gut microbiome and its associated metabolites as potential risk factors for CVDs, suggesting the possibility of developing more effective novel therapeutic strategies against CVD. In addition, increasing evidence has demonstrated the alterations in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and the imbalance of microbial-dependent metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids and trimethylamine N-oxide, play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of CVD. However, the exact mechanism of action remains undefined to this day. In this review, we focus on the compositional changes in the gut microbiome and its related metabolites in various CVDs. Moreover, the potential treatment and preventive strategies targeting the gut microbiome and its metabolites are discussed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.498-506
• /
• 2011

This study examined the relationship among plasma homocysteine, folate, and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels and neurocognitive function in 118 community-dwelling elderly subjects (mean age, $75.1{\pm}6.7$ years). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-KC) was used to screen and assess neurocognitive function in the participants. Dietary intake data including the use of dietary supplements were obtained using the 24-hour recall method by well-trained interviewers. Plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations were analyzed by radioimmunoassay, and homocysteine was assessed by a high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence method. The proportions of participants with suboptimal levels of plasma folate (< 3 ng/mL), vitamin $B_{12}$ (< 221 pmol/mL), and homocysteine (> $15{\mu}mol/L$) were 16.1%, 5.9%, and 21.2%, respectively. A multiple regression analysis showed that plasma homocysteine was negatively associated with plasma folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels. The MMSE-KC test scores were significantly associated with plasma homocysteine and folate, but not with vitamin $B_{12}$, after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, living with spouse, education, current smoking, energy intake, and chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disease, dyslipidemia, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. A general linear model adjusted for covariates revealed that MMSE-KC test scores increased from the lowest to the highest quartiles of vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin $B_6$, vitamin $B_{12}$, and vitamin C intake (p for trend = 0.012, 0.039, 0.014, 0.046, 0.026, respectively). These results indicate that the problem of folate inadequacy and hyperhomocysteinemia are highly prevalent among community-dwelling elderly people and that dietary intake of the B vitamins and vitamin C is positively associated with cognitive function scores.